Haiti all by Themselves

The new Republic of Haiti was received in many different ways around the globe, but in the United States it was received very negatively. Thomas Jefferson, a major political leader at the time of their revolution, had much to do with America’s dislike of newly formed Haiti. Jefferson did not support the revolution mainly because it was slaves who started the movement and he was scared that it would inspire slaves in America. To try and stop the influence of the black independence cries reaching America, Thomas Jefferson tried to cut off all trade from Haiti. This did not work though, because congress agreed that Haiti was too much of a profitable trading partner that it would not benefit anyone. Another country that did not support the new republic was the country that had given Haiti its independence in the first place- France. Lead by Napoleon, an extreme racist, their former mother country did little to support the new republic. Once Napoleon lost control, he left the Western Hemisphere completely, leaving Haiti to fend for itself. He did this by selling his land in America to Jefferson, who as one knows was not a supporter of Haiti. Not only that, but Napoleon made Haiti pay something like an “independence tax” to make up for the money white landowners lost when their slaves left and revolted.

Because of the lack of support of two nations that should have helped, Haiti started off in a deep hole. From America, they only worked together for trade because of the production of sugar and coffee on the island. But France and its non-support of the new colony impacted the new country of Haiti the most. France made the debt incredibly large, so Haiti was constantly paying back France. They were pretty much forced into paying the tax as well because if they didn’t, France threatened to come back in and reinstate slavery. Haiti was still paying off this insane request in 1947, which was 140 after slave trade was abolished and 85 years after the emancipation proclamation. Having to be constantly paying back France made it so that Haiti could never move forward with their economy. Once the earthquake happened in 2010, Haiti did not have a lot of money saved up so their economy was devastated. All in all, the negative reception of the new republic from America and France badly impacted Haiti and its future.